Rumble-seat top



Oct. l, 1929.

E. WILBAMKS :wma surfer Film:v .im 6, 192,8

- 2 She'eVts-Sheet 1 R l, Y r .1-... m w N l R E l o v, T m n MJ, W. y@e m N s .0. tiff... o o om. Q.

M. IIII|\|\.\.|\||\\\\\1\\I| E. WILNKS RUMBLE SEAT TOP Filed June e, 92a2 sheets-sheet 2 /lwllllhialivrl Il ATTORNEY @reiterated @et l, .i929

erasi tirarse garer este Application led inne 6, 1928, Serial No.282,315.

My present invention has reference to au; y ltomobiles of the roadstertype,`and which arel provided with rumble seats, and my object is toprovide a protectivetop for the rumble seats of such ty e ofautomobiles.

' A further obJect is'the provision of a top for this purpose which isadjustable so that the same can be readily arranged upon ,the rumblecompartment of various sizes of automobiles, and which is collapsible sothat the same ma be folded into a small package and arrange in a casethereforso that the same 'can be readily positioned in the rumble seatcompartment of the machine when not desired for use.

A further object is the provision of a device for this purpose whichshall be of a simple construction, comprising fewI parts, but which isstrdng and sturd when in set .up condition and which is readilyremovable and collapsible when not desired for use.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from aconsideration of the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings which form part of theapplication, with the understanding, however, that the improvement iscapable of extended application and is not confined to the eXact showingof the drawings nor to the precise construction described and,therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therefrom as donot aifect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof asexpressed in the appended claims. i y 4 nthedrawings:

lFigure 1 is a side elevaticnillustrating the application ofmy'improvement. i

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improvement per se, the curtainand the rumble seat being indicated by the dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a plan view with parts in section showing the devicecollapsed and arindicated by the dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the lapping portionsofthe fabric top of the improvement.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken through ranged in the case therefor,the latter being one of the side members of the improvement 5in a linewith the attachin strap.

Referring now'to the rawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates aroadster type of automobile, 2 the rumble compartment at the rearthereof, 3 the rumble seat and 4 the back for the seat.

The top 5 of the roadster, at the rear thereof, is provided with spacedsnap elements' of the usual construction.

My improvement contemplates the employment of a back frame and a topframe. The back frame comprises side members 6 each in the nature of anangle member. These sides 6 ma be constructed of any desired material,lig t strong metalpreferred. The sidemembers 6 have the tops thereofrounded toward the top thereof, as at 7. What I will term the innerflanges of the sides 6, and which for distinction are indicated'by thenumeral 8, are provided'with elongated slots or openings 9. Above theseslots there are pivoted to the said portions 8, as indicated by thenumeral 10, cross braces 11-11. These fiat braces are centrally pivotedtogether, as at 12, and the free ends of the said braces have passedtherethrough short bolt members which also pass through the slots 9 andthese bolt members 13 are engaged by wing nuts 14. The construe? tion asso farvdescribed permits of the side Imembers 6 being adjusted withrespect to each other through the medium of the brace elements 11, andeffectively locked by the -coengaging nuts and bolts when so adjusted.Also the arrangement permits of the said side members being moved towardand v almost in contacting engagement-when the device is not `requiredfor use.y `The-sideImenfiblerxiffrom' y the lower portions thereof havetheir inner faces provided -with compressible strips 15, and thesestrips are designed to contact with the outer corners and sides of therumble seat 3 and will not inflict injury thereto.

The outer anges of the angle sides 6 are provided each with a guideelement 16 for a 95 strap 17 which is arranged around the frame andwhich is likewise arranged around the back 4 ofthe rumble seat, thesplit strap having its ends adjustably connectedby a uckle 18, The strapis mainly employed for holdi' se ing the side members ot the outertrame, against the outer corners ot the rumble seat to permit or thesaid rear frame member havingits sections properly adjusted and likewiseto permit of the upper frame member having its sections also properlyadjusted and the ends thereof arranged over the top of the automobile.While the ends of the strap are passed through the guides 16, this ismainly for sus.

taining the strap in proper position on the rear frame members andlikewise to provide a means whereby the strap cannot become lost, Afterthe strap has accomplished its purpose the same may be removed ifdesired, as the cover, hereinafter to be described, provides a meanswhereby the frame is securely fastened on the automobile. f

top of the roadster l, as disclosed by the` dotted lines in Figure l or"the drawings.

'lhe horizontal flanges of the sides l@ of the top frame are providedwith elongated slots or openings 2l and pivoted tothe saidff topflanges, as at 22, there are crossed brace bars 23a rlhese brace barsarel pivotally con- 1 nected, as at 24, and have .passed through theirfree ends bolts 25 which are engaged by winged or like nuts 26. thisarrangement it will be noted that the side members of the top frame maybe adjusted with respect to each other so that the same may be arrangedupon varyingu widths of the tops 5 ot roadsters, and also that the saidarrange ment permit-s of the top frame being telescoped or folded into asmall package against the sides 6 when the device is not required forThere is arranged around the bach frame, and preferably secured theretoby snap tasteners 26 the fabric back of the improvement. rlhe bachcomprises two sections 27, respectively, the edges of which being inlapping relation. and the said sections are provided with spaced aimingseries or? snap fasn tenere 28 whereby the sections may be adjustablyconnected. rlhe sections include side flaps 29 which are attached to therumble seat compartment by snap fasteners 30. The edges of these sideflaps 29 are provided with spaced fasteners 3l any one of which is designed to be engage-d by cooperating snap rasreners 32 upon the sideflaps 33 of the fabric top oi the improvement. The fabric top alsoincludes two sections or members having overlapping; edges, as disclosedby the dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings, and

by the full lines in Figure 4C of the drawings. 1Ehe cooperating snapfasteners are indicated by the nume-ral 3d. 'lhese fasteners aredesigned to be snapped 'together when the device is in use. rlfhe outeredge of the top as vell as the side flaps 33 thereof are pro vided withsnap `tasteners 35, to engage with cooperating snap asteners on the rearof the top 5 of the roadster l.

Should it be founddesirable the top may be swung rearwardly upon itspivotal connestion 2() with respect to the back of the improvement topermit of persons entering the rumble compartment and occupying the seatthereof, or the snap fasteners 32 and 30 may be brought out ofengagement and one or both ci the sides of the fabric back and topcovers is thus spread open to admit persons to the rumble compartment.

lvifhen not required for use the trame is folded to the positionillustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings without necessitating theremoval ci the rubberized or like fabric coverings iromfthe tramemembers and the device as' a'whole may be arranged in a small box-likecompartment as indicated by the dottedlines in Figure 3 ot the drawingsand designated by the character 86. 'llhe device may be then arranged inthe rumble compartment oi" the automobile l. rlhe improve ment may beeasily and quickly set up to provide an effective protector or cover forthe occupants of the rumble seat and when so set up will be rigidly heldin position on the automobile. Likewise, the device may be easily andquickly removed from the back of the rumble seat and collapsed or foldedinto a small package as heretofore described.

Having' described the invention, l claim; A removable and collapsiblecover for the rumble seat of an automobile, including a back iframehaving angle side members, to engage with the rear corners of the backof a rumble seat, an "adjustable strap surround ing the trame and guidedthrough the sides and designed to engage with the back of therumbleseat, said sides having their upper corners rounded toward each other,and said sides being formed with elongated slots, flat pivotallyconnected cross braces, each having` one of their ends pivotally securedto the sides, bolt members passing through the second end of the bracemembers and through the slots in the sides, and nuts engaging suchbolts, a top iframe which includes arched angle side members that havetheir rear ends pivoted to the sides of the back and their opposite endsdesigned to rest on the top at the rear of the automobile, said sideshaving elongated slots therethrough, pivotally connected cross y, ni d'brace members each having one of their ends pivoted to the sides ot thetop, bolt members passing through the second ends of the brace membersand through the slots of the side members, nuts engaging said bolts, and

fabric covers to lenclose the frame sections and to sustain the same onAthe automobile, said,v cover comprising a top portion having itsireapr'vided with side flaps, the said top portion having its outer endremovably fastened to the top of the automobile and the flaps beingremovably fastened to the sides .Y '2 of said automobile. 'z i' Intestimonylwhereof I aix my signature? EMANUEL WILBALNKS.l

